1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates in general to preengineered metal buildings and particularly to metal buildings having building panels of the standing seam type. More specifically, the invention relates to an improved apparatus for crimping and thereby sealing standing seams of adjacent side edges of two such building panels.
2. Description of the Prior Art
In an earlier filed patent application, Ser. No. 581,909, filed May 29, 1975, by Donald M. Taylor and Donald H. Ward, and entitled "INTERLOCKED CHANNEL SECTION PANELS AND CONNECTOR THEREFOR," there is shown and described unique U-shaped building panels which include a surface portion and an upstanding rib along each longitudinal edge of the surface portion. In general, the ribs are configured to mate with the corresponding rib of an adjacent panel. In practice, each of the ribs on a given panel generally includes an inverted "U" portion, and the rib along one edge of the panel, the female rib, is arranged with the "U" portion extending outwardly of the surface portion of the panel, while the "U" portion of the opposite rib, the male rib, extends inwardly being disposed above the surface portion of the panel. Accordingly, when mating ribs of adjacent panels are engaged together, the surface portions of the adjacent panels will abut one another in a single plane.
The prior art has long been concerned with developing a fully satisfactory way of securing panels similar to the aforementioned adjacent panels together, as well as with developing a tool or an apparatus therefor. As background, it will be understood that in certain cases, wherein extra rigidity is required, or wherein the seams between adjacent panels are caulked, the prior art has utilized screws through the surface portion of the panels which are parallel to the ribs of the panels. However, the possibilities of leaks in the panel system were greatly increased.
In order to avoid the use of screws, the prior art did develop miscellaneous tools which would simultaneously engage the rib portion of adjacent panels, force them into their proper relationship, and crimp to secure them in that position. However, such tools have proven to be unsatisfactory because they have been of the hand type mechanical crimper variety, which deform only a small area of the female rib, or they were machines which could not be disengaged from the rib or seam in any desired place along the length of the sheet flange or they were unable to connect building panels to one another in a fast and efficient manner and form a strong water-tight, weather resistant rib or seam.
While prior art seam forming apparatus are common, it has been found that such apparatus have some less than desirable features. For example, field experience has found that such apparatus are generally limited to the crimping of three thicknesses of metal. There are also other disadvantages, such as the apparatus hanging up on bent flanges, lacking power to squeeze sealant during cold weather, needing hand crimp at the roof edge to start and a possible safety problem when some apparatus over hang the roof edge to complete the forming of a standing seam at the roof edge. Additionally, while some apparatus can be easily removed in the middle of a standing seam, they can only be placed back on the standing seam at the roof edge. This causes delays at hang ups, ventilators, and panel end lap joints, since the operator must go to the opposite end of the standing seam to engage the apparatus and complete the deformation.